


I Get a Rush

by smore13



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - College/University, Coming of Age, Confusion, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Pining, M/M, Nakamoto Yuta-centric, Sexual Tension, disaster bisexuals, yuhyuck tag REAL dry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:40:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22830382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smore13/pseuds/smore13
Summary: “What does it matter? You change in front of me all the time,” Donghyuck pointed out, looking him over curiously.“So that means you can come into my room whenever you want?” Yuta demanded, trying not to smile.  He paused with his shirt halfway off his shoulders before shucking it off completely. “Besides, you’re not usually…lookingat me like that when I do it.”“Like what hyung?” Donghyuck asked, turning his innocent gaze to Yuta’s face.The older boy reached for his shirt, glancing back at the other with a queer expression, pausing for the briefest moment as he considered.“I don’t know, just… different.  Whatever,” Yuta mumbled finally, pulling his shirt over his head, shaking it with a frustrated smile. “Anyway, what do you need?”“I need you,” Donghyuck blurted out.or, alternatively, middle school Donghyuck was cute and funny, high school Yuta supposed, when he wasn't busy being a complete pain in the ass. University Donghyuck, though, lives in grown up Yuta's mind rent free, despite all desperate efforts to the contrary.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 15
Kudos: 77





	I Get a Rush

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I'm obsessed with rare pairs.  
> This story will be broken into a prologue that takes place entirely in their youth, and the main story which will take place once Hyuck enters university.  
> While the second half will contain a typical adult romance, if that's not your thing this first part is just straight up baby yuhyuck fluff so this whole chapter is safe lol  
> Rating will almost certainly change, and tags will be added as necessary for the later chapter.  
> Just think of it! [this Yuta](https://images.app.goo.gl/VLeqJUhS1xt6KEvM7) getting chased around by [this Hyuck](https://images.app.goo.gl/HoW42a8MWHPGHVQR9) then skip forward 5+ years to [THIS Yuta](https://images.app.goo.gl/hgGhgJgMShjkYirD8) and [thissss Hyuck](https://images.app.goo.gl/k25UemNkYNHSsuJu5) ~  
> Delicious if I do say so myself.  
> The title comes from Crush by Mandy Moore lol just to age myself a little  
> ANYway... enjoy!

**Seven and a Half Years Ago**

“Yuta-ya! He-oh…” Taeyong had begun to call out excitedly, waving his arm over his head enthusiastically when he finally spotted his friend strolling around the corner toward them.

It was the sight of what followed, however, that caused him to cut himself off.

“Did you just call me a ho?” Yuta demanded, not bothering to hide his teasing grin as he came to a stop in front of them. “That’s not a very nice greeting, I thought we were friends.”

Taeyong made to stutter out an apologetic explanation (like the pure soul he was - did enjoying watching his friend squirm make Yuta a bad person?) but Johnny charitably stepped in, effectively cutting Taeyong’s suffering short.

“I believe he was distracted by the appearance of your entourage,” Johnny pointed out with a grin. “Although you’d think he’d have stopped being surprised by now.”

Yuta returned the grin, not even bothering to follow his friends' gaze over his shoulder.

“Well you see, I had every intention of meeting up with you guys alone,” he began in a conspiratorial tone, as if he wasn’t about to recite the same explanation he’d offered them dozens of times before, “but the thing is, I live with Mark and as you know, Mark follows me everywhere. And then there’s Haechannie, who follows Mark everywhere and practically lives at our place at this point anyway. And Jeno, who follows Haechan everywhere, which means, of course, there’s Jaemin and Renjun because those three are a package deal, so when Jeno’s following Haechan, they are too. So all it took was Mark catching me leaving the house and now, here we are!”

Yuta concluded with a sunny smile that made Johnny laugh and Taeyong sigh.

They had been his friends practically since he arrived from Japan over two years prior - the first people he met outside of Mark (who was his host brother) and by extension Donghyuck (or Haechan as the older boys [mostly] affectionately referred to him) who had seemed to be attached at the hip with the former from the beginning. 

The three of them were all the same age, in the same class, and just seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces from day one. Johnny was a gyopo (born in America) who had only moved back a few years before so he understood the struggles of learning about the Korean language and culture, while Taeyong was just an earnest, understanding, yet still fun and interesting guy. They were the three musketeers, or maybe the three stooges (depended on the day). Either way, it meant that they both knew by now that hanging out with Yuta often meant finding him with anywhere from one to half a dozen pre-pubescent boys in tow. It also meant that they knew that he was beyond feeling anything but neutral acceptance toward the whole situation. It was just a part of life.

“I guess the movie’s out then, unless they actually brought some money of their own for once,” Taeyong said with a small pout. He usually had very little problem with the kids tagging along - in fact he was completely doting. However, it came with a very literal price.

“That would be an actual miracle,” Johnny snorted, looking over his friend’s shoulder once more. This time Yuta did follow his gaze, spotting the gaggle of barely teenage boys still making their very slow, very erratic way toward the trio. Haechan was clinging to Mark like a koala, teasing him and pinching his cheeks while the other three boys seemed to be screaming some nonsense, chasing each other around the sidewalk.

“Where do elementary schoolers even get money from anyway?” Johnny mused thoughtfully, drawing Yuta’s attention back.

“I know where they _think_ they get it from,” he replied, shooting a dramatic glance at a slightly put-out Taeyong and still amused Johnny. “Their gullible hyungs’ wallets.”

This caused Taeyong to groan in earnest.

“Definitely no movie then,” he confirmed mournfully. “This hyung’s wallet is running light these days.”

“What’s fun and cheap then?” Johnny prompted good-naturedly with his hands in his pockets.

“Hyung!” the cheerful cry interrupted their planning as Mark ran up to Johnny excitedly. The elder boy gazed down at him affectionately, reaching out to ruffle his hair in greeting. Johnny had developed a soft spot for Mark practically upon meeting and the feeling seemed mutual. Mark had been born in Canada, where he spent most of his childhood before his parents moved them back to Korea. Johnny was unbelievably tall, handsome, and American - all things Mark seemed to find entirely admirable. They were a good fit for one another.

Mark instantly began speaking to him excitedly in rapid-fire English that left both Yuta and Taeyong amused, with little hope of following the conversation further.

Suddenly Yuta felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around one of his own.

“I can tell you what they’re saying, hyung, but you might not like it,” Donghyuck said solemnly, gazing up at him with all the innocence he could muster. This was immediate grounds for suspicion in his books.

“Since when did you become an English expert?” Yuta demanded with an arch of his eyebrow but his words lacked any real bite. Yuta was an eternal tease - one that earnest kids like Mark and believing friends like Taeyong were perfect targets for. When it came to Johnny, or in this case Donghyuck, he was facing an opponent closer to his own speed. Occasionally the kid managed to get under his skin but it was usually fun to humor him.

“I’ve been studying! You can ask Mark hyung, he’s been helping me too,” Donghyuck insisted before leaning in to stage whisper. “Mark hyung is complaining about you.”

Yuta snorted derisively at this, glancing over at the pair in question. Johnny and Mark were clearly conversing casually, there was little to no evidence that his name had been mentioned even once.

“Don’t believe me?” Donghyuck demanded, gazing up at him determinedly with a slight pout. “The whole way over Mark hyung was telling me how he couldn’t wait to see Johnny because you’ve been driving him crazy with your weird foreign habits. Plus you won’t stop hogging the computer to play games all night and eating all of hyung’s secret snacks from the kitchen. That’s what they’re talking about right now! He knows you can’t understand English well, so he’s not even trying to hide it.”

Yuta sighed heavily at this. He didn’t know what Donghyuck stood to earn by making this entire story up but nothing about it sounded like anything Mark would say, let alone sound like the topic of the two English speakers’ current conversation.

“Hey Johnny,” Yuta suddenly called in English, catching Donghyuck’s surprised look out of the corner of his eye. “What are you talking about?”

Johnny and Mark paused in their conversation and the former shot his friend a knowing grin.

“Mark was just telling me about the new music program at his middle school and maybe trying out for one of the sports clubs,” Johnny answered in Korean, grin widening as Yuta shot the child at his side a triumphant look. The two North Americans resumed their talks as Yuta smugly watched Donghyuck readjust himself, buying time. He released the elder’s arm from his hold, reaching to hold hands instead.

“Maybe I misunderstood, I guess I have to work harder on my English,” Donghyuck allowed as he entwined Yuta’s fingers with his. Then he looked back up at him with the same innocent eyes. “I don’t know how I misunderstood what he told me in Korean on the way though…”

Yuta just laughed, swinging their hands back and forth between them, perhaps a little rougher than he otherwise would.

“Haechannie, I think I know why you like cooking so much,” he declared in a sing-song tone, watching as his movement whipped the other around slightly. “You just love to stir the pot~”

“So what are we doing?” Jaemin asked, appearing suddenly between Yuta and Taeyong. Like magic, the other two boys appeared at his side.

Well, Renjun appeared at Jaemin's side. Jeno kind of drifted toward Donghyuck instead, eyeing Yuta’s rough handling of his friend with minor concern.

“Let’s go see a movie!” Donghyuck cried, grasping Yuta’s hand in both of his now, attempting to bring it closer to nuzzle to his face.

“Yeah!” Renjun cried in agreement. “Iron Man 3 just came out, we’ve gotta watch it.”

“Wouldn’t it be fun to watch the new Iron Man, hyung?” Jaemin joined in, shooting killer puppy eyes at Taeyong who merely looked away, hand touching the wallet in his pocket unconsciously.

“You got movie-watching money?” Yuta snarled as he attempted to stop the boy at his elbow from claiming any further affection.

“It’s okay, Yuta hyung, I know you’re not from here,” Donghyuck announced in a gracious tone as he gave up on trying to hold Yuta’s hand, quickly dropping it in favor of wrapping his arms entirely around the older boy’s waist instead. Jeno made a small noise of complaint, leaning forward to rest his chin on Donghyuck’s one available shoulder. “In Korea the older friends are supposed to take care of the younger friends, especially when the younger friends can’t get a job or make any money.”

Yuta sighed again, allowing his minor frustration to drain away with it. He already knew all of Donghyuck’s tricks, there was no point in actually being angry with the kid. He shook his head with a chuckle before replying.

“Haechannie is really amazing… I think he’ll get beaten up someday,” he announced, looking down at the younger boy affectionately. He heard Johnny and Renjun laugh loudly at this while Jeno, Mark, and Taeyong started to protest slightly. “It’ll happen someday, so be careful.”

“But hyung won’t be the one to beat me up, right?” Donghyuck asked sweetly, snuggling in closer.

“I can’t see the future~” he replied sunnily, causing even Donghyuck to laugh this time.

“So what are we doing then?” Jeno whined, finally giving up on Donghyuck and moving to stand beside Jaemin and Taeyong instead.

“We’re going to grab some ice cream from the convenience store and walk down to the river,” Taeyong announced firmly, looking to Johnny and Yuta for confirmation, ignoring the various noises of either interest or complaint from the youngins.

“The weather’s pretty perfect, I’m down,” Johnny agreed amicably.

“Yeah, hyung, sounds great,” Mark piped up, earning him a smile from Taeyong before turning his attention to Yuta who merely nodded as he attempted to remove the obnoxious child hanging from his side with little success.

The three high schoolers played a quick round of rock paper scissors to see who would only have to pay for one of the kids.

Yuta won, which resulted in Donghyuck burying his face further into the older boy’s chest.

“Thanks for the ice cream, hyung,” he cooed happily.

“Since I won, I get to choose who I’m buying for, right?” Yuta asked bluntly, causing the younger boy to voice a noise of complaint and tighten his grip. Yuta hid a grin but his jab fell mostly on deaf ears anyway as the other four kids had instantly distributed themselves between Taeyong and Johnny, and had already taken off in the direction of the river.

Yuhyuck (as Donghyuck was still clinging to Yuta so fiercely that they had essentially morphed into one being by that point) made their slow, awkward way after their friends as Yuta did his best not to trip over the extra pair of legs while attempting to safely maneuver them onward.

“Why are you such an octopus today?” he demanded, looking down at the top of the younger boy’s head. He was briefly tempted to use Donghyuck’s brown mop as leverage to remove the boy from his person but settled on merely patting his head instead.

“I missed you, hyung,” the younger boy murmured, barely understandable with his face wedged into Yuta’s chest near his underarm.

“You were literally at dinner with us last night,” Yuta pointed out, allowing himself a frustrated huff as he glanced around to make sure they hadn’t lost sight of the others.

“It felt like longer,” Donghyuck whined, looking up at him now.

“Why are you being like this? Can’t you go back to hanging on Mark?” Yuta demanded, finally nearing the end of his patience. He let his hand flop onto the younger boy’s face, effectively blocking the attempted puppy eyes.

“I just want you to love me, hyung! Everyone loves me but you!”

“You sure have a funny way of showing it,” Yuta replied darkly, rubbing the boy’s face harder.

“What do you mean? This is totally your style,” Donghyuck complained, voice slightly muffled by Yuta’s hand. "You love when people tease and throw themselves at you. So that you can pretend to hate it and make it seem like you care less!"

Yuta had to refrain from cursing him then, deciding to use his annoyance to finally pry the boy away from his entire torso.

“Listen, I’ll love you a lot more from two feet away,” he said, offering the boy his hand in order to pacify him somewhat as he glanced toward his friends’ quickly retreating backs once more. “We’re going to lose them if we don’t hurry up.”

Donghyuck complied without any further complaint, simply swinging their arms gently as Yuta sped after the group.

They’d all collectively come to a stop at a convenience store near the river, and were all starting to eat their chosen ice cream by the time the two stragglers finally caught up.

Donghyuck made an attempt to start a conversation with Renjun and Jaemin but Yuta simply barreled into the store, pulling his charge behind him.

“Alright, your majesty, choose one,” he said, waiting to release the younger boy only once the door to the shop had safely closed behind them.

Donghyuck couldn't argue with that, looking the entire ice cream freezer over carefully for what felt like an eternity before finally settling on what appeared to be an entire sundae, which he held up proudly for the older boy to see. Yuta shot him a look.

“What? It’s one!” Donghyuck insisted, checking the treat in his hand closely. Yuta merely rolled his eyes, taking the package from the boy’s hand and grabbing a Samanco ice cream for himself before making his way to the counter.

“Are you sure you only want an ice cream, hyung? Not a drink?” Donghyuck inquired carefully, following behind him with a look of innocent curiosity. Yuta couldn’t help but crack a smile at his phrasing, watching the cashier ring up their order. No matter how frustrating Donghyuck could sometimes be he could never stay mad at the boy for long. As much as he’d hate to admit it outloud, Donghyuck really did suit his style far too much for that.

He paid the cashier before handing the other boy his giant sundae.

“Yah, don’t you think you’re pushing your luck?” Yuta asked, not bothering to hide his amusement. “Mark would say thank you for the ice cream, not beg for more treats.”

“Is that why you like Mark more than me?” Donghyuck challenged, blocking the door.

“Yes,” Yuta answered immediately, grin widening as he watched the shock and dismay spread across Donghyuck’s face.

“Fine! Well… would- would Mark hyung treat _you_ to ice cream?” he demanded, looking adorably indignant, making Yuta laugh. “I’ll treat you, hyung! I’ll buy whatever you want next- as soon as I get some money! That’s a promise.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” was all Yuta replied, laughing harder as Donghyuck expression turned first to a pout, then a look of determination.

“You will! We’ll see who’s the favorite then!” he announced, turning and flouncing out of the store.

“Johnny hyung!” he heard Donghyuck call before the door had even closed. “Who do you like more, Mark or me-”

“Mark!” Johnny answered instantly, barely looking up from the conversation he was having. He and Yuta both started laughing as Donghyuck howled in frustration, while Mark just looked between the three of them in slightly amused confusion.

“Haechannie, don’t try to compare yourself to Mark. You’re good enough on your own,” Taeyong was saying as Yuta exited the store, in an attempt to console the boy.

Donghyuck only groaned further.

“Even Taeyong hyung can’t bring himself to say I’m better,” he wailed, earning him jeers and teasing from Renjun and Jaemin. Even Jeno and Mark were doing their best not to laugh, and Taeyong was frantically apologizing.

“Oh hush and eat your ice cream before it melts,” Yuta ordered, ruffling the kid’s hair as he walked past. “Come on! Let’s head to the river already~”

A cheer rose up from most of the younger boys and they all made their way toward the trail beside the water. Yuta chased after Jaemin who had taken off running, only to be overtaken by Johnny who stuck out his tongue, calling over his shoulder,

“Last person to arrive is comparable to a rotting egg!”

Yuta took that to be some kind of American phrase gone wrong but he certainly didn’t want to be compared to a rotten egg.

He glanced back at the group to see Mark and Jeno elbowing each other as they ran toward him, while Taeyong, Renjun, and finally a pouty Donghyuck were following at a more leisurely pace (Renjun perhaps not by choice as Donghyuck had wrapped a firm hand around the back of his friend’s shirt to hold him in place).

“Haechan’s a rotten egg!” Yuta yelled with a grin. He watched as the boy’s brow furrowed and he released Renjun, shoving his ice cream into Taeyong’s hands before tearing after him.

Yuta laughed and crowed, turning his gaze on Johnny as he sped off after his friend.

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Seven Years Ago**

“That was pretty good, Haechannie. You’re improving fast,” Yuta pronounced, watching as the younger boy completed the last moves of the choreography he’d been practicing. He walked up and adjusted the boy’s hand and elbow positioning in the final pose before walking around him with a satisfied smile. “Not everyone can pick up these moves as well as you do this fast. I’m pretty impressed.”

“This choreography isn’t even a challenge compared to the dances you’re working on hyung,” Donghyuck responded with a concentrated frown as he looked himself over in the mirror. “I want to get to your level.”

Yuta watched with amusement as Donghyuck finally relaxed back into a neutral position, looking up at him determinedly.

“To be fair, I have 5 years and at least 15 centimeters on you, so I’d say give it practice, time, and patience,” Yuta offered with a grin.

“I’m not patient! Time goes too slow,” Donghyuck complained, slouching past him before flopping to the floor near the mirror.

“It starts to go faster when you get older,” Yuta teased, knowing how much he used to hate hearing adults tell him things like that when he was Donghyuck’s age. “I’m already halfway through my 3rd year of high school. Hell, you’re already in middle school.”

“Why are you saying that for?” Donghyuck asked, eyeing him reproachfully. “That’s not helping me at all.”

“I’m just saying it coz it’s true~” Yuta replied cheekily, looking the other boy over carefully. “If you want me to help you with something you can work on right now, let’s start with your awful posture.” He marched over and promptly pulled the slouching boys shoulders back until he was sitting upright properly.

“Hyung, please,” Donghyuck whined, attempting to slide out of the older boy’s grip.

“Haechan-ah, do you want my help with dancing, or not?” Yuta teased, letting him go nonetheless.

“Yeah, listen to your sunbae, _sunshine_ , and quit complaining,” came a quiet voice from the far corner of the room. Three other boys from the dance academy sat grinning over at him rather maliciously. They were probably around Donghyuck’s age, maybe a year older. They never really caused too much trouble, as far as Yuta knew, but they certainly weren’t the most welcoming group in the school. Yuta suspected that he wasn’t meant to catch these words but since he had, he glanced over at his dongsaeng to gauge how the jab had landed.

Donghyuck tensed up slightly, shooting them an unamused look before turning back to Yuta.

“Can you teach me a little bit of your choreo, hyung? Maybe just the first minute. Just for fun?” he requested, rather louder than he probably would have otherwise.

“Sure thing kiddo,” Yuta replied easily, offering his hand to pull the boy back on his feet.

  
  


“Ready to go, Haechannie?” Yuta asked as he shut his locker carefully, hoisting his school bag over his shoulder. “I’m starving.”

He was met with a momentary silence followed by the loud slam of a sharply closed locker.

“Oh, that startled me,” Yuta muttered, gazing down at the boy in question, now wearing an expression that was equal parts stormy and unimpressed.

“Yuta hyung,” Donghyuck said, looking up at him evenly.

“Uh oh, you’re calling me by my name,” he couldn’t help but tease. “It must be serious.”

This earned him another unimpressed look that seemed to be covering something else. Nerves maybe?

“I’ve been meaning to ask you…” Donghyuck began, pausing only a moment before soldiering on. “Can- can you and the hyungs start calling me by my real name?”

Yuta was surprised for a moment until he remembered the brief incident with the other boys in the practice room earlier. They hadn’t mocked the nickname outright (more likely because Yuta was there) but he got the gist. He looked down at the younger boy in understanding but that didn't mean he could just give into the demands of a barely pubescent child so easily.

“What? Suddenly you don’t like your nickname?” he asked teasingly.

“No! I don’t like it anymore! It’s too childish,” Donghyuck sniffed, attempting an air of haughty disinterest.

“Oooh, I’m telling your mom you said that,” Yuta threatened good-naturedly. Haechan was the nickname that the boy’s family always used for him at home - Yuta and his friends had just adopted it. It suited him though - when he wanted to Donghyuck could light up the room like the sun.

The mildly panicked look on the younger boy’s face almost set Yuta laughing aloud but he bit it back as the kid pushed on.

“It’s one thing when my _mom_ says it,” he complained, recovering quickly. “But when the hyungs do it, it just makes me seem like such a baby…”

“You are a baby~” Yuta informed him, reaching out to squish the boy's cheeks between his hands. 

"Ah hyung…" Donghyuck whined, pouting to the best of his ability with limited control of his face. 

"What is it, my baby?" Yuta teased.

“Why are you treating me like this?” was all Donghyuck managed as he attempted to remove his face from the older boy’s grasp.

“I hate to break it to you, Haechannie, but parents aren’t the only people whose job it is to embarrass you. And you’ve got yourself three hyungs who take that job very seriously,” he said, dropping his hands from the younger boy’s face and drawing him into a tight hug instead, ruffling his hair affectionately with the other hand.

Donghyuck only groaned but allowed himself to be coddled.

“I don’t know why you’re suddenly embarrassed by your nickname but I’ll just say this,” Yuta continued, combing his fingers gently through the boy’s fluffy hair, “if you’re worried about what your classmates think - whether here at the academy or back at school - don’t bother. I know it’s easier said than done but listen - you’re supremely smart and talented in basically all fields of study, you already have a great group of friends your age who accept all of your embarrassing behaviors, and you’ve got a few hyungs who would kill for you. Nothing anyone else has to say really matters after that, does it?”

Donghyuck let out an annoyed huff at this but quickly melted into the older boy’s embrace.

He was quiet for a few moments before sighing.

“I guess you’re right,” he admitted begrudgingly, voice muffled somewhat by his face being pressed into Yuta’s upper chest.

“Course I am,” the older boy replied smugly, pulling away to look him over. Donghyuck smiled up at him calmly.

“I like when you’re nice to me, hyung. It doesn’t happen too often.”

“Since when?” Yuta sputtered, dropping his arms from the boy’s shoulders like hot potatoes. “I’m literally always nice to you, please. You’re just too ungrateful to notice.”

“You’re probably right, hyung,” Donghyuck agreed amicably, reaching out to reattach himself to Yuta’s arm. “Ready to go? I’m starving too~”

Yuta resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the suddenly over-affectionate behavior. Instead he chuckled, waiting as the younger boy grabbed his bags before making their way out of the locker room together.

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Six and a Half Years Ago**

“How did a party that’s supposed to be for your graduation end up with more middle schoolers than high schoolers?” Doyoung asked dryly, surveying the living room of Yuta’s host family’s house, which was currently somewhat overrun by overstimulated middle and elementary school students who had decided their current life purpose was to be as loud and chaotic as possible. 

This was nothing new to Yuta, however. In fact, it was the norm. He couldn't really picture a version of this party that didn't include seven rabid children chasing each other throughout the house and generally causing a ruckus. Then it’d just be five bored high schoolers and some parents.

“To be fair, they’re VIPs and you’re lucky you made the list,” Yuta replied matter-of-factly. He laughed when Doyoung looked over at him, expression equal parts surprised and offended.

"Hyung," he complained, still undecided about how hurt he should be by the remark. 

“Relax, will you? I’m just kidding,” Yuta insisted. “Besides, this is just the family party. We all know we’re saving the real fun for the 95 line celebration next weekend.”

Doyoung grinned knowingly despite himself, nodding in understanding.

“Alright, I’ll give you that,” the younger boy agreed, maneuvering around his friend to make his way toward the snack table that had been set up in the living room. 

Yuta watched him go as Kun - Doyoung’s fellow 2nd year and the final high schooler in attendance - approached with an exasperated grin.

“Maybe letting me bring Chenle and Jisung wasn’t your best idea,” Kun joked, eyeing his young cousin and his friend as they harassed an annoyed looking Renjun, Chenle in Mandarin and Jisung in Korean, undeterred by the language disconnect.

“It’s just business as usual here,” Yuta laughed, “The 00’s are practically glued to my hip on a daily basis and those two are glued to theirs so it doesn’t make a difference to me. I’m sure I’ll miss all the chaos once I’m gone… Someday.”

“Can’t argue with that logic,” Kun agreed, eyeing Chenle warily as he let out an ear piercing laugh at Renjun’s frustration. “I wish I could say I’ve given up trying to control them but…”

“At least you make a valiant effort,” Yuta said with a grin and a consoling pat.

They watched for a moment as Chenle and Jisung turned on each other, getting into a brief squabble which Renjun used to escape the two younger boys. He made his way over to where Donghyuck appeared to be bullying Jeno into accepting Jaemin’s excessive skinship, which Renjun quickly joined in to encourage. Mark was talking excitedly with Taeyong nearby and Johnny was chatting with Doyoung as they picked at the snacks laid out on the table.

“I heard you wanted everyone to watch that new anime that you’ve been into,” Kun pointed out after a moment. “I can help you gather everyone around if you want.”

“We can do it a little later. I see Mark’s mom moving around in the kitchen a lot so I’m guessing she’s going to pop up with the surprise cake, that definitely wasn’t hidden in the back of the fridge, any minute now,” Yuta answered laughingly. “Come on, let’s grab some food while we wait.”

They wandered over to join Johnny and Doyoung and as expected, within about ten minutes the lights dimmed and Mark’s parents appeared with a lovely cake, making everyone come together to sing congratulations to Yuta.

Cake was quickly cut, distributed, and consumed. A handful of his friends surprised him with graduation gifts, even some of the kids. They played a few games, watched a few episodes of his anime and generally enjoyed each other’s company.

By that time, several hours had passed and afternoon had faded to evening. His friends slowly dispersed, most of them promising future get-togethers or meetups. There were still a few weeks left of break before they all began moving into their dorms and starting university (or middle/elementary school in the case of some).

Yuta helped his host parents pick up the mess left behind as most of the stragglers shuffled out but he was quickly shooed away.

“I don’t want you working so hard during your celebration,” Mark’s mom informed him sweetly, nudging him out of the kitchen when he attempted to start washing dishes.

“My celebration’s over,” he argued with a wide smile but allowed himself to be convinced after a bit more prodding.

“Yuta!” Johnny called from the front door entryway. He pulled Yuta into a brief one-armed embrace when his friend appeared before him. “I’m heading out but I just wanted to remind you about Saturday. Sehun will be there with the ‘refreshments’, so don’t forget to bring some money and whatever chase- er, _flavor_ you want to drink, got it?”

Johnny winked, eyes twinkling in excitement at their decidedly adult plans for the ~real~ graduation party.

“I don’t know how you expect me to remember with you being so subtle like this but,” Yuta teased, earning a playful nudge from his friend before the other boy turned with a wave and disappeared out the door.

Making his way back inside, Yuta spotted Mark and Donghyuck huddled in the corner of the living room, conversing in comically hushed tones. Yuta hovered outside the kitchen for a few more moments before being shooed once again by his host parents. He ended up making his way into his room, nudging the door mostly closed, and flopping onto his bed dramatically.

He felt a little strange laying there in the room that had been his for three years - almost to the day - ever since he came to Korea from Japan. He felt at once extremely lucky and a bit melancholy, thinking about all the experiences he’d had there over his high school career - in a foreign country, away from his own family and old friends.

In the country where he’d chosen to stay.

Yuta quickly shook himself out of it. There was no reason to be getting all sad and introspective, not now anyway. He was going to university in Seoul, just a stone’s throw away and he’d easily be able to stay connected to all of the important people in his life.

Still, he pulled out his phone and sent his parents and each of his sisters a quick message to check in and say he missed them.

Finally, he heaved himself out of bed, deciding to change out of his party clothes and into something more comfortable.

He grabbed a long sleeved shirt and a pair of workout pants out of his closet, tossing them on his bed.

Halfway through unbuttoning his shirt, his door burst open causing him to start, glancing up to see a rather breathless Donghyuck come to a screeching halt before him.

“Hyung, I- oh are you changing?” the younger boy asked, noticing after a moment. He didn’t wait for a response, spinning around to close the door behind him before walking back to stand right before Yuta. He watched him expectantly as Yuta’s fingers remained motionless over his shirt’s button, making a motion with his hands as if to say, ‘please continue’.

Yuta could only laugh at this.

“I don’t know what you need but can’t you give me a little warning before you come barging into my room?” he asked, tone light, resuming unbuttoning his shirt.

“What does it matter? You change in front of me all the time,” Donghyuck pointed out, looking him over curiously.

“So that means you can come into my room whenever you want?” Yuta demanded, trying not to smile. He paused with his shirt halfway off his shoulders before shucking it off completely. “Besides, you’re not usually… _looking_ at me like this when I do it.”

“Like what hyung?” Donghyuck asked, turning his innocent gaze to Yuta’s face.

The older boy reached for his shirt, glancing back at the other with a queer expression, pausing for the briefest moment as he considered.

“I don’t know, just… different. Whatever,” Yuta mumbled finally, pulling his shirt over his head, shaking it with a frustrated smile. “Anyway, what do you need?”

“I need you,” Donghyuck blurted out. Yuta raised an eyebrow until he continued. “Do you have time hyung? Everyone’s gone home now.”

“I’m free,” Yuta admitted, changing out of his jeans quickly. “Do you need help with something?”

“It’s not that…” Donghyuck said, sounding suddenly… what? Shy? Yuta worked to keep a straight face. Donghyuck rarely got like this when he wasn’t exaggerating it for show.

“I want to give you your present, hyung, but you’ll have to come out with me to get it,” the younger boy continued. He glanced up, gauging the reaction. “Is that okay?”

Yuta pretended to think the request over deeply before smiling widely.

“Sure thing, Haechannie. I’ve got nothing better to do anyway,” he teased. Donghyuck only smiled brightly.

“Can we go now?” Donghyuck asked excitedly, then his expression turned momentarily stricken as he seemed to have a sudden realization. “Oh wait! I have to grab something first!”

Without waiting for a response, he yanked open Yuta’s door and took off down the hall.

The older boy chuckled, grabbing his phone and wallet before making his leisurely way after him.

Back in the living room he saw Donghyuck digging frantically through his backpack before finally emerging victorious. He glanced over his shoulder, spotting Yuta and approaching with a big smile on his face and an obviously rare used wallet in his hands.

“Ready?” he asked happily.

“Let’s go,” Yuta replied, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Yuta didn’t bother asking where they were going. He trusted they wouldn’t get wander far with Donghyuck leading the way, and even if they did he’d figure it out.

“Mark didn’t want to join?” Yuta asked conversationally after they’d walked a ways.

“I told him he wasn’t allowed to come!” Donghyuck said firmly, shooting him a fierce look. Yuta couldn’t help but let out a surprised laugh.

“And why is that?” he pressed with a grin.

“Because I wanted to have you to myself for a bit to celebrate before-” Donghyuck paused and Yuta wasn’t quite sure if his voice had caught but the younger boy looked surprised before swallowing tentatively and continuing, “before you leave.”

He screwed up his face, before adding in a quiet mumble,

“Besides… I just have enough for me and you.”

Yuta kept quiet after that, simply ruffling the other boy’s hair reassuringly.

After several more minutes of walking, Donghyuck looked up, excited once more. Yuta followed his gaze and had to actively press his lips together to keep from laughing out loud.

“Hyung, go sit down at one of the tables outside and wait for me, kay?” the younger boy pronounced with a sunny smile, spinning around to face him. Yuta only nodded with a smile and watched as he ran off into the convenience store.

Yuta chuckled to himself, making his way over to one of the two empty tables in front of the store.

He hadn't been expecting anything fancy but the younger boy's level of enthusiasm toward the local GS25 was pretty amusing to say the least. 

They were only a few minutes from his house on a quiet street in their little suburb - a satellite city that orbited Seoul. 

There weren't usually many people that made it this far off the main road unless they lived there and it was currently almost abandoned, save for the occasional ahjussi making their leisurely way toward the bus stop. 

Yuta twiddled his thumbs for a few moments, nothing in his immediate vicinity interesting or even notable enough to catch his attention. He turned instead to watch Donghyuck who was standing at the counter, hunched over in front of the clerk, counting and recounting the money in his hands before finally handing it over.

Yuta tried to mask his smile as the younger boy gathered his prizes in his arms and shuffled outside.

He caught Yuta's eye as he pushed his way through the door, breaking into a victorious grin.

"Sorry it took me so long, hyung," Donghyuck said rather breathlessly as he plopped a handful of items onto the table before him. "I know you love the fish ice cream."

The last was a statement with just a hint of uncertainty which prompted reassurance. 

"Yeah, it's my favorite," Yuta confirmed, picking up the ice cream in question, opening it was a grin before adding, "It wasn't long, it just felt like it because it's boring out here."

"No I meant… sorry it took me so long to finally buy you ice cream after I promised," Donghyuck explained, expression halfway between amused and slightly embarrassed as he sat down.

"Oh that…" Yuta said, carefully schooling his expression. "I thought you forgot about that."

In reality, Yuta was definitely the one who’d forgotten. He thought back for a moment to when Donghyuck might have mentioned ice cream and vaguely remembered teasing him about it on an outing to the river. He didn’t mention this to the younger boy, who had apparently taken his promise very seriously. Yuta chuckled slightly adding,

“That was almost a year ago now, wasn’t it?”

Donghyuck appeared slightly guilty, watching as Yuta bit into his ice cream sandwich, going for the fish’s lips first as he always did.

“I’m sorry it took so long, hyung,” he said, a little whine slipping into his apology. He fiddled with one of the bottles that sat on the table between them. “I kept saving up money to treat you… but I kept accidentally spending it before I saw you.”

Yuta debated teasing him about that but the younger boy seemed so earnest that it didn’t feel fair. 

“Is that green tea?” he asked instead, turning the focus away from Donghyuck’s apology and onto the drinks sitting on the table instead.

“Yeah!” the younger boy affirmed, perking up. He grabbed both bottles and pushed them toward Yuta. “For you! I wanted to get you ice cream AND a drink.”

Yuta grinned at Donghyuck’s smug expression, clearly very satisfied with himself.

“This is two drinks,” Yuta countered, taking another bite of his ice cream before opening the nearest bottle.

“The brand you like was 1+1,” Donghyuck said excitedly. “More for my money!”

“Then there’s one for each of us,” Yuta pointed out affectionately, laughing when Donghyuck looked surprised.

“Only if you don’t want both,” the younger boy said sweetly, a pleasant reminder that the brash, funny, obnoxious side of his personality wasn’t the only one.

Yuta only chuckled, pushing the extra drink back toward him. He took a swig of his own drink as he watched Donghyuck open the other, before biting into his ice cream.

“Wait, where’s your ice cream?” Yuta asked, finally noticing that he was the only one eating a treat.

Donghyuck looked down at the table, appearing a bit guilty again. Yuta’s eyebrows shot up in surprised confusion.

“I, uh. I didn’t feel like ice cream,” Donghyuck said, reaching for a small object on the table that Yuta hadn’t even noticed. It was a minuscule lollipop which the boy proceeded to unwrap and pop into his mouth. “I felt like getting candy instead. It’s sweeter!”

Yuta made a face at the obvious lie.

“You didn’t get ice cream for yourself so you could afford to get me a drink too,” he accused, eyes narrowing.

“No! I always planned to get you a drink too!” Donghyuck argued, sitting up straighter in his chair (god he still slouched so much, Yuta noted). “I thought I had enough for both our ice creams and your drink but… I don’t know! I must have spent a bit… I was a little short so I just got a lollipop instead.”

“I can’t just watch you eat that sad little candy,” Yuta informed him with a shake of his head, making to stand up, ice cream still in hand. “I’ll get you one, which-”

“Hyung no!” Donghyuck cried fiercely, jumping up to block his path. “This is supposed to be my treat for you! For your graduation! If you buy me ice cream it undermines the whole treating process!”

Yuta paused halfway out of his chair, looking the other boy over appraisingly. Finally he gave in, sitting back down and quickly licking the side of his ice cream sandwich to prevent a dribble of vanilla from rolling down his wrist.

“Fine, but just know the only reason I’ll allow this is because I literally never thought I’d hear you turn down free snacks in your life, so it must be serious,” he said, watching as Donghyuck flopped back down into his chair.

“Good,” Donghyuck chirped, popping the lollipop back into his mouth with a satisfied grin. Yuta leaned forward and snatched the sucker out of his mouth again by the stick. Donghyuck made a surprised noise of complaint.

“You can’t stop me from sharing mine though,” Yuta sang out cheekily.

“Hyung…” Donghyuck complained, watching as Yuta took one final bite of his ice cream, leaving only one fin which he held out to the younger boy with his mouth open.

“Aahh,” Yuta said, moving the last of the ice cream toward the other boy’s mouth rapidly. Donghyuck looked like he wanted to resist but with Yuta practically shoving the treat into his face he quickly relented, opening his mouth. Yuta placed the dessert carefully inside, watching as Donghyuck chewed happily.

“Delicious?” he asked, licking some of the rogue cream from his fingers before wiping them on his pants.

“Yummy~” Donghyuck confirmed, clearly happier than he’d like to let on about getting a taste.

Yuta sat back, satisfied, almost popping the lollipop he was still holding into his mouth before realizing what he was doing. He handed it back to Donghyuck instead, taking a swig of his drink.

“Thanks for the ice cream, Haechannie,” he said earnestly, reaching over to ruffle the other boy's hair. 

"And the drink?" the younger boy promoted, appearing rather proud. Yuta rolled his eyes slightly with a grin. 

"Yes, and the drink," he affirmed.

"Soooooo, would you say I'm definitely the only dongsaeng to treat you like this?" Donghyuck asked, clearly trying to sound casual but failing miserably. 

"We can safely say that, yeah," Yuta replied, lips quirked up into a grin, preparing to remind him that he still had a lot of treating to do to catch up to him.

"Then that makes me the best dongsaeng doesn't it?" the younger boy demanded, clearly excited now. He watched Yuta closely as he chuckled. 

"I suppose-" he started but Donghyuck cut him off almost immediately, blurting out, 

"So that makes me better than Mark right?"

Yuta paused, taking a minute to assess the sudden change in tone the conversation had taken. 

Donghyuck was clearly trying his best to appear as if he was just asking a lighthearted, teasing question like he always would, but there was this underlying desperation in his tone (like he _needed_ to know the answer) mixed with another emotion that was hard to put a name on. He noticed Donghyuck's hands were suddenly gripping the table for dear life. Yuta had never thought there was much the boy could do that would leave him at a loss as to how to respond but the sudden intensity made him stop and consider. 

At Yuta's accidental prolonged silence, Donghyuck began to deflate self-consciously. 

"I mean- not that it… it doesn't _really_ matter that much," he sputtered out, looking down at his hands that he'd begun twisting together in front of him. "I mean I know Mark isn't your favorite because he buys you things I just… I didn't do this just for that, I know you put up with me no matter-"

"Lee Donghyuck," Yuta said sharply, unable to stop himself. The younger boy flinched slightly, looking surprised. He wasn't used to hearing anyone but his mom call him by his full name usually. Yuta sighed, regretting speaking so sharply but he pressed on, tone as delicately serious as he could manage. 

"Mark is like my real brother, so yeah I love him. A lot. He's one of my favorite people and he always will be," he said, dipping his head to try to catch the other boy's eye but Donghyuck kept his gaze fixed firmly on his hands. "But it's not a competition. You're my favorite Haechan. In fact, if you asked me to choose between you and the sunshine I'd choose you."

Donghyuck's mouth immediately quirked into a smile at this. He was a sucker for cheesy little declarations like that and even though it wasn't Yuta's usual style, he was happy to do it once in a while if it made the kid happy. 

"I like you on your own, kiddo. I don't compare you to Mark or anyone else so you don't have to either, got it?"

"Got it hyung," Donghyuck agreed, finally smiling up at him a little shyly. Yuta grinned in relief, although he still couldn't really believe he was witnessing a bashful, shy Donghyuck. Maybe he wasn't the only one being affected by the strange wistfulness of the day. 

He reached forward to ruffle the younger boy's hair affectionately, letting his hand rest against one of his cheeks for a moment. Just as he was about to pull away, Donghyuck caught Yuta's hand with his own and held it in place insistently. 

Yuta chuckled but Donghyuck was giving him a curious look - he could almost see the gears turning in his head but he had no idea what he could be working out in there. 

"So hyung, then you definitely don't think of me like Mark right? As a brother?"

Yuta pursed his lips, trying not to sound exasperated as he made to reassure him again. 

"Haechannie I told you-" he started but Donghyuck cut him off with a violent shake of his head (which whipped Yuta's still captured hand around with it).

"It's not because I'm jealous hyung, just answer the question," he insisted, sounding weirdly… expectant? Yuta wasn't sure what he wanted from him. 

"I mean… you're my dongsaeng, sure. You all are," he said carefully, "but honestly you're almost more like a friend."

Donghyuck lit up at this, turning his face to nuzzle against Yuta's hand. He felt the boy's lips press lightly against his wrist as he replied, 

"Friends… I'm happy to be your friend, hyung."

Yuta snatched his hand back, frowning slightly.

“That doesn’t mean you can turn around and treat me like we’re the same age,” he accused, brushing his hand over his wrist mindlessly, causing Donghyuck to laugh delightedly at the notion.

“Okay, I promise,” he said deviously, making Yuta sigh heavily. Then he turned serious again.

“But actually… I can’t believe you’re graduating. You and Taeyong hyung and Johnny hyung, all of you,” he started, picking at a spot on the table, eyes focused on the task. “It’s so weird. You guys are always with us, always _around_ and now none of you will be.”

He stopped, seeming to realize something, looking up at Yuta almost indignant.

“I can’t believe _Mark_ is going to be the oldest now!” he cried, sounding downright affronted. Yuta laughed, using this shift in mood to attempt steer things back to a lighter tone.

“Yes, we’ve been training Mark to lead the kids well,” he teased. “Aren’t you lucky to have someone older and wiser to help you through middle school?”

Donghyuck gave him a look that was decidedly unamused.

“The only lucky one around here is him,” he sniffed, ignoring Yuta’s wide grin.

“If that’s true then why are you always the one chasing him?” Yuta teased. Donghyuck didn’t laugh but he didn’t pout either.

“You think having to chase after Mark makes me lucky?” he asked, tone still casual, looking down as he began picking at his nails distractedly. “I’m not lucky. Mark isn’t the only one I chase, you know. He’s just the only one who let’s me catch him.”

They both sat in silence for a moment, Donghyuck still picking away at his fingernails, Yuta considering all the people who the younger boy tended to bother for affection. Mark, of course, and Johnny. Occasionally Doyoung. Often himself. He thought about Jeno who came as a package deal with Renjun and Jaemin but only ever seemed to be looking at Donghyuck. He wondered if the boy had noticed yet, or if he perhaps didn’t want to.

When the younger boy finally sighed quietly and looked up, he was smiling again but his eyes were a little sad.

“I really can’t believe you’re leaving us, hyung,” he repeated. It was a testament to how unusually earnest he was feeling that he wasn’t whining or complaining about that fact.

“Why are you acting like it’s the end of the world?” Yuta chided softly, reaching over and pushing his head gently to one side. “It’s not even that far - if you really miss me so much you can come visit me.” Donghyuck looked skeptical.

“Like you’d want a middle schooler coming around to bother you on campus,” he accused, scowling when Yuta only grinned but didn't argue. “You’re only offering because you think I won’t come.”

“Oh, I know better than to pose a challenge to the one and only Lee Haechan,” Yuta teased. “That’s just a surefire way to end up with you on my doorstep.”

Donghyuck appeared amused again, pleased by the accurate read. He reached one hand across the table and began picking at Yuta’s fingernails with his own.

“Anyway, we both know I’ll be back here at least once a month,” Yuta continued, allowing the younger boy to fiddle with his fingers, running his free hand through his hair. “You’ll hardly notice I’m gone.”

“We’ll see,” Donghyuck answered noncommittally.

They stayed like that for a while longer, before Yuta untangled his hand to reach for his drink.

“We should probably start-” he began, standing with the intention of heading home.

“Hyung wait!” Donghyuck cried, grabbing at him to pull him back into his chair. “I almost forgot, I have something to tell you."

Yuta sat back down, raising a curious eyebrow but the younger boy didn't look overly serious or nervous, just determined.

“もう会いたくなってきた。” Donghyuck blurted out, surprisingly clearly with just a hint of a cute accent. Yuta blinked a few times, a little thrown off not only by his friend suddenly speaking Japanese but also the feeling behind it. He hesitated a beat like his brain couldn’t decide how his body should react. He eventually broke into a teasing grin.

“また会いましょう。” he responded, leaning back in his chair, satisfied. His grin widened further as Donghyuck’s mouth formed a little ‘o’ of surprise, clearly having researched his own line but not what to expect in return. Not that he could have necessarily guessed what Yuta was going to say.

“What did you say, hyung?” he asked curiously, leaning forward in his seat.

“What were _you_ trying to say?” Yuta shot back, crossing his arms loosely over his chest. Watching the way the boy turned a bit bashful under his gaze filled him with affection.

“I was just trying to say I’m gonna miss you,” he admitted rather shyly. “I wanted to learn it in Japanese as a surprise, even though I haven’t practiced since you gave up on teaching me last year.” Yuta snorted at this as he took a moment to decide how truthful he should be with his response.

“That was sweet of you, Haechannie,” is what he went with. “I said I’ll miss you too.”

Donghyuck perked up at this, pleased that he’d managed to get the point he was aiming for across.

“Come on, kiddo. Let’s head back home,” Yuta urged gently, standing with his hands in his jacket pockets. When the younger boy looked a bit reluctant and ready to pout, Yuta offered his elbow with a roll of his eyes. Donghyuck perked up considerably, hurrying to gather all their trash and quickly throw it away back inside the convenience store. Yuta waited patiently until he returned, allowing himself to be grappled at as they made their leisurely way back to his host family’s home.

They didn’t say much on the way and it didn’t take long before they were standing in front of the building once more. Donghyuck paused again, looking contemplative before turning to look at Yuta determinedly once more.

“Hyung, I-” he started but Yuta quickly interrupted him with a swipe at the head and a grin.

“Come here, dork,” he said, holding his arms out for the hug Donghyuck was very obviously hoping for. The younger boy lit up, melting into his embrace. They stayed there for a moment, Donghyuck with his face buried in his collarbone while Yuta tilted back to rest his chin on top of the other boy’s head.

When they finally parted, Donghyuck was looking like he was trying to hide the fact that he was getting sad again so Yuta patted him reassuringly on both arms.

“Are you gonna come up?” he asked, figuring normalcy and distraction were probably the best policy in this case.

“Yeah,” Donghyuck responded, tone the slightest bit forlorn before he seemed to snap himself out of it. “I left my stuff up there. I’ll probably go home right after though.”

“Let’s go inside then,” Yuta suggested, grabbing the sleeve of the younger boy’s jacket and steering him carefully through the front doors to the elevator. They rode up in silence, stepping out when they reached their floor.

Yuta paused in front of the keypad, turning to face the other boy in lieu of entering the code.

“Hey Haechannie,” he started, ignoring the curious look being directed at him in favor of staring down at the keypad. He punched in the password, pulling the door open just a crack before saying, “Next time you feel like telling someone you miss them in Japanese just… check with me first, okay?”

He turned and shot Donghyuck a wide smile, that was met with mild confusion. He opened the door fully now, bustling quickly inside.

“Alright, hyung. Whatever you want,” Donghyuck responded after a moment as the door closed behind them. Though Yuta didn’t turn to look, he could certainly hear the amusement in his tone. He chose to pay it no mind in favor of kicking off his shoes.

“We’re home!” he called out cheerfully, making his way inside and trusting Donghyuck to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> I was pretty proud over myself actually lol. Yuta been coming for me lately but instead of starting YET ANOTHER wip, I went back to this one that I started toward the end of last year lol.  
> Can you believe I wrote this ice cream scene BEFORE [this goodness happened?](https://twitter.com/blanco0719/status/1212638764830314496?s=19)  
> Me neither!  
> Yuhyuck forever lol.
> 
> **EDIT i literally forgot to translate the Japanese lol. What Hyuck basically said was in the vein of I miss you already which is why in his baby research he went with it but in actuality it's much more mushy and romantic - something typically said among couples. The translation I got was 'I already want to meet you again' as in you haven't even left yet but I already want us to be together again. Apparently there's also an implication that the longer you go without seeing one another, the stronger the feeling becomes. To Yuta, native Japanese speaker it comes across much more as a confession than intended. So what he says in response is kind of a tease (because of course it is lol) he responds more literally with 'Let's meet again'. So hyuck says darling I can't bear to let you go, when will we meet again? And Yuta goes lol let's meet then tf? 😂 keeping in mind I have not studied Japanese for some time and don't speak it lol but this is what my research tells me. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought! I don't know when the rest will be posted as I'm very much still writing it but I hope y'all enjoy this cuteness for now.  
> I love comments and appreciate kudos and just generally like hearing from you~  
> [twt](https://twitter.com/stephaech?s=09)  
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/smore13)


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